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vPaented Nov. 1'7, 1896.

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G; H. SHELLABERGER. FENCE STRETGHER. No. 571,405.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. SHELLABERGER, OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD F. SIIELLABERGER, OF SAME PLACE.

FENCE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,405, dated November 1'?, 1896. Application filed December 6, 1895. Serial Noi 571,221. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. SHELLA- BERGER, of De Kalb, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for stretching wire fences, and the device of my invention is adapted to the stretching of wire fences-say, from four to siX or more feet in height-and is so organized that it is capable of exerting great force upon the fabric and of properly stretching a long strip.

An object of my invention is to provide a fence-stretcher which can be readily placed in position and which shall receive its support from one of the fence-posts and does not require staking down and anchoring, common with fence-stretchers heretofore in use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail. Fig. 3 shows amodiiied form of grapple.

The fence-stretcher proper consists of a frame-block 5, which may be composed of a metal beam of T form. Upon said frameblock are mounted fixed rests or bearings 6 7 for the worm-shaft 8.

9 represents a traveling block, which has flanges 10 to engage the edges of the head of the T-rail, which form guides for the traveling block. Said block is apertured for the passage of the worm-shaft 8 and has a pocket, as at 11, to receive a nut 12, which is threaded .upon the shaft and, bearing upon the walls of the block, carries said block with it as the shaft is operated. The shaft may have the operating-handle 13 and the pivoted leg 14, with the stay or guy chains 15, which may be secured to the stakes driven into the ground to prevent the lateral swaying of the stretcher, while the leg furnishes vertical support for its outer end. The opposite end of the frameblock is in operation placed against one of the posts of the fence and may have the anchor-chain 16 for holding the end of the frameblock in position until the strain is exerted upon the stretcher. To the block 9 is attached a grapple 17, which may also be in the form of a chain, as shown in Fig. l, or a swinging bail, as shown in Fig. 3, and which is adapted toA engage with the pulling-chain 18. IThe latter is secured to the clamp 19, which may consist of two bars secured in any convenient manner so as to clamp between them the strand-wires 2O of the fence fabric 55 and preferably behind one of the tie or stay wires 21. Y

In operation when the stretcher is set in position the worm-shaft is turned in a direction to cause the traveler to recede from the 6o post, thus, through the grapple 17 and chain `18, pulling` uponthe fence fabric. When the block 9 has reached the outer limit of its travel, the chain 18 may be engaged in the notch 7 n of the bearing-block 7, and then the 65 grapple is released and the nut and block run back to the starting-point, when the grapple will be again engaged with the chain 1S and the operation repeated.

It will be observed that with this device 7o the anchor is the post itself and that the staychains 15 and leg 14 simply support the outer end of the stretcher vertically and prevent its swaying.

-Ieretofore with these devices it has been common to anchor them independent of the fence-post, and in wire-stretchers it has been common to secure them to the post, but on the opposite side thereof from the position shown with my improved device.

The worm-shaft is of course a very powerful mechanism, and by the aid of my improved stretcher a fence fabric many rods in length may be tightly stretched and very rapidly.

Of course modification may be made in the details of construction, and, without therefore limiting my invention to such details,

I claim-- A fence-stretcher of the class described, comprising in combination a frame-block 9o composed of a metal T-bar, a hinged leg to vertically support the outer end of said block, bearings mounted on said frame-block, a worm-shaft revolubly mounted in said bearings and having an operating-handle, a travelin g block mounted upon the frame and carrying a nut operatively engaged by the Wormshaft, a grapple secured to the traveling block, a clamp to beA secured to the fence fabric and a chain connected to the clamp and adapted Ioo to be engaged by the grapple, substantially as described.

GEORGE H. SHELLABERGER.

Witnesses:

C. C. LINTHICUM, N. M. BOND. 

